How much do child portrait shots cost?
Professional child photographers are skilled at photographing kids. A variety of factors affect the cost of child photography, including the number of photos provided, the length of the session, the location of the session and more. Prices for photography generally cover the photographer’s time for a pre-shoot consultation, for the session itself and for editing, as well as the cost of equipment, supplies and travel.
Number of photos
Some child photographers charge by the number of photos provided. For example, RDT - Studio of Los Gatos, California, offers a free session of any length necessary along with 20 photos for $165 or 35 photos for $199. Customers can purchase all images taken during the session for $299. Thomas Sparks Photography of Suisun, California, offers a 30-minute outdoor session for $200 that includes 30–40 digital images from the shoot and three professionally edited images of the customer’s choice. He charges an additional $130 for the use of his studio and $20 for each additional edited image.
Flat rate
Some photographers, such as Stoney’s Photography of Milpitas, California, charge a flat rate for photo sessions and deliver all the photographs to the customer. Stoney’s designs the flat rate based on the needs and budget of the customer.
Flat rate plus per-photo
Some child photographers charge separate fees for the session and the photos. For example, a typical 60- to 90-minute session could run for a flat rate of $175 plus $50 for 10 images, $100 for 20, $150 for 30 and $200 for 40.
Studio
Some photographers have elaborate studio setups with props and professional lighting. For example, Bonnie Raley Photography of West Chester, Pennsylvania, offers a one-hour session at her studio (or within 15 miles of her studio) for $450 and 10 digital images. She charges $550 for a one-hour session and 20 digital images. A shortened half-hour session is also available at her studio only and includes seven hand-edited images for $300.
Multiple locations
Child photo sessions held in multiple locations cost more. For example, RDT - Studio charges $70 for each additional location. In addition, some photographers charge travel fees to come to the customer’s home, or they simply charge a higher flat rate. Song’s View Photography of Fort Worth, Texas, charges $175 for in-studio sessions and $250 for on-location sessions.
Retouching
Photo retouching generally costs extra. For example, RDT - Studio charges $10 per retouched image.
Deposit
Some photographers require a deposit. For example, J. Shipley Photography of Laurel, Maryland, charges a $50 deposit upfront and then requires full payment at the time of the session.
Prints
Some photographers can also produce prints for an additional charge. If they don’t offer this service or the price is too high, customers can send the digital files to a print service provider.
Cost-saving strategies
If you’re confident in the photographer’s abilities and vision, you can limit the number of photos provided and pay less. Twenty great photos can be just as good as 40.
